Thermoluminescence characteristics of MgSO4 : Dy,Mn phosphor

The MgSO4:Dy,Mn thermoluminescence (TL) phosphors have been prepared by co- doping with various concentrations of activators the Dy and Mn. The dose-re sponses to gamma-rays are studied by deconvolution of the TL glow curves. I t is found that the TL sensitivity of the MgSO4:Dy,Mn phosphor is comparabl e to that of the phosphor LiF:Mg,Ti. Besides, there is only one main dosime tric peak at 383 degrees C in its TL glow curve. The trap parameters of the dosimetric peak were obtained as activation energy E similar to 1.972 eV, the frequency-factor s similar to 4.294 x 10(14)s(-1) and the kinetic order b approximate to 2 by fitting the glow curves with general-order kinetics. The area of this dosimetric peak is similar to 90% of the integral area of the whole glow curve for a gamma dose range of 0.1 Gy-20 kCy. The dose res ponse of MgSO4:Dy,Mn to gamma-rays in this dose range is supralinear. There are no radiation damage effects observed in TL glow curves above 1 kGy as that occurred in LiF dosimeters. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.